The 100th Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade and Three New York Picks

By Elena Vasquez

The guide “24 Fun Things to Do in N.Y.C. in November” leads with the 100th Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. Its route runs from the Upper West Side to Herald Square. The guide also directs viewers to NBC or Peacock for a broadcast starting at 8:30 a.m.

The selection spans a Thanksgiving procession, television clips, a Broadway revival and live song. Two dated programs share Nov. 20, while the revival opens Nov. 16. The parade entry supplies the only exact broadcast time. The other listed events provide dates but no start times, ticket prices or street addresses.

How can New Yorkers watch the 100th parade?

One option places spectators along the route between the Upper West Side and Herald Square. The other puts the parade on NBC or Peacock from 8:30 a.m. The 100th edition is the selection’s only numbered milestone.

The entry gives no broadcast end time or ticketing details. The distinction remains clear: watch along the route or follow the televised presentation.

Takeaway: The parade offers the only choice with both a precise broadcast start and two viewing modes.

What does the Paley Center discussion include?

One Thanksgiving option focuses on television rather than the parade itself. On Nov. 20, curator Allison Kraft leads “Iconic Thanksgiving Moments on Television” at the Paley Center for Media in Midtown. The program includes clips from Turkey Day-themed episodes and a conversation about them.

The guide highlights one “Friends” moment: Rachel makes a dessert with beef and peas, and Joey likes it. The scene provides a specific example within the broader conversation. The event shifts attention from watching the parade to considering Thanksgiving’s presence across television episodes.

Takeaway: Kraft’s Nov. 20 session turns familiar holiday television scenes into a curator-led discussion.

What is different about the Broadway revival?

A revival of the musical “The Fantasticks” opens at the Hayes Theater on Nov. 16. The guide describes the Broadway production as carrying “a gay twist.” That phrase provides the listing’s only explanation of its interpretive approach. It identifies the revival’s central distinction without adding plot, creative or casting details.

This is also the only opening date in the selection. It falls four days before the Paley Center conversation and John C. Reilly’s Town Hall appearance, both set for Nov. 20.

Takeaway: “The Fantasticks” supplies the Broadway centerpiece, with its revival framed by a gay reinterpretation.

What does John C. Reilly bring to Town Hall?

John C. Reilly brings “Mister Romantic” to Town Hall in Midtown on Nov. 20. The guide describes the show as “vaudeville-meets-American Songbook” and files it under song and dance. It is the selection’s sole entry in that category.

The shared Nov. 20 date places two distinct formats on one day: a curator-led conversation about television and a live song performance. The Town Hall listing gives no performance time, ticket price or repertoire details. It provides three concrete anchors instead: the date, the Midtown venue and the blended vaudeville and American Songbook format.

Takeaway: “Mister Romantic” is the roundup’s live-performance option, with Reilly and a two-part musical identity.

Across these four plans, the cultural anchors are the route from the Upper West Side to Herald Square, the Paley Center for Media, Hayes Theater and Town Hall. The practical details remain uneven. The parade has an 8:30 a.m. broadcast start; the Nov. 16 and Nov. 20 listings have dates but no times. Readers should treat the guide as a concise shortlist and confirm access details directly with each venue.